Restaurants near Safeco Field

[Tripper]

Suggestions for restaurants within walking distance (20 minutes or so) of Safeco Field. Thanks in advance... We'll be there for a game in May, but plan to stay near the park for several days.

[PAO]

Forgot to mention that the bagel sandwiches at Blazing Bagels at the NW corner of Safeco Field are pretty good.

[kaleokahu]

Hi, Tripper:

In case you want a little fancier fare and enjoy Italian, Il Terazzo di Carmine is quite close.

Aloha,
Kaleo

[Tripper]

Thank you...the perfect mix! Will have American junk food prior to the game and check out one of the Asian places in the ID the other night...thanks!

[pusherman]

I'm slightly embaressed to suggest it, but my pre-game go-to is Tat's in Pioneer Sq (Yesler / Occidental) for awesome (by West Coast standards) cheesesteaks and good grinders and other sandwiches. I agree w/all the great ID suggestions, but sometimes I just think sports goes better with American junk food. Also w/in striking distance of the Collins Pub on 2nd, which has good burgers and a great beer list; both are maybe 10 min walk down Occidental from Safeco.

OK, slightly off topic, but I'll add- Closer to the park are two other pretty good bars, Elysian Fields (which has upscale bar food of no great note) and Hooverville (no food but sometimes a guy out front roasting hot dogs).

[Mike CP]

Nothing embarrassing about this, pusherman. Tat's and the guys that work there are legit, especially if you need to fill up before any alcohol consumption in the park. I usually avoid any of the extras there, and stick with the sandwiches.

My go-to meal in the ID is banh mi from New Saigon Deli on the corner of 12th and Jackson or from Seattle Deli just another block north on 12th. Cheap, delicious, and an easy meal to bring into the park.

[gingershelley]

+1 for Tats... a fine chowhound destination!

[shaolinLFE]

another +1 for Tat's. Tatstrami is excellent and gut busting!
Sub sand for asian

[GreenYoshi]

I'm a fan of the Tatstami (and I think the fries) at Tat's, but I'd say that Calozzi's ( in the location where Tat's used to be) serves up a better cheesesteak.

[pusherman]

Yay! Happy to see the love for Tat's, the Tatstrami is my favorite sandwich in Seattle (well, maybe tie with El Paseo, but much easier to get my hands on).

[gingershelley]

Pusherman, Tat's is long overdue for love on this board!
I discovered it when I had a sales rep from Austin, Tex who had moved to Seattle for a time work for me. I swear, that guy would figure out his lunch appointments with clients based on what he had ferreted out to eat that was good in SEA!

He would bate ( and get!) contractors to work with him based on his having them meet for an 'on his dime' lunch at Tat's..
It took me too long to go get a meal there considering all his stories and happy reviews, complete with end of the day shirt-stains, but then I ATE THE SANDWICHE!

Delish. really. In my book , only really good Pastrami sammy in SEA.. we don't do deli well here, or cheesesteaks (sigh). This is the best damn, darn entry for a full drippy, satisfying sandwich meal we got, in the Tatsrami!

Not to negate anything a few blocks south at Salumi, just a different history, expectation, and vibe.... Love it!

[yoyo11]

Woah...really? I guess I need to try them again. The one time I went, my cheesesteak featured stringy meat, a too-crusty roll and mediocre cheese. I certainly respect your opinion, though, so I'll give it another shot.

[GreenYoshi]

I felt like the beef had more flavor and i got the processed yellow cheese. But I'm sort of a classicist that way who likes a cheesesteak in the Philly-style. (Which is why I've never like Grinders). I could see how others would prefer Tat's.

And i still say Hey Paison in Burien sells the best under any criteria.
(I think they have a Groupon or something right now too)

[MsMaryMc]

Yup, they do (not a Groupon, but statistically equivalent)

http://www.livingsocial.com/deals/163...

[gingershelley]

+1 for Hey Paison!

That is a common stop post-library visit in this household, tho never had a cheesteak there; usually a grinder or hot meatball sub - the best, and Such nice people!

[forkit]

Saigon Deli is my usual pre baseball stop.

[gingershelley]

Tripper,
You could feasibly eat at any resto in the main part of Downtown, and then head down into the bus tunnel, get off at the Pioneer square station (a free trip), then a 10 minute walk on to Safeco Field to the south.
ID is great, but if you lean toward something that is not Asian, then this opens up your options. You can search threads here for resto' recs. for just about anything from the main shopping district and South and make your perameters. Places like Matt's in the Market, Lecosho, and many more...

[PAO]

I believe the ride free feature of the buses downtown is going to be phased out. Not sure when.

[eight_inch_pestle]

Not until the fall. Altho the OP should be aware only the buses are free, not the train.

[PAO]

We're season ticket holders and usually eat in the ID before weekday games. I recommend Green Leaf for Vietnamese. http://greenleaftaste.com/default.aspx. Sea Garden or Shanghai Garden for Chinese. The best Japanese restaurant in the ID is Tsukushinbo, but it may open only at 6, making getting to the park for a 7:10 start, difficult. If you have one of the weekday day games, you could go there after the game. Stop by the Fuji bakery for excellent pastries--both pure French and French with a Japanese twist. You can get good banh mi at the little Vietnamese place around the corner from Fuji bakery. The food at Safeco has improved over the years, especially with the last year's offerings in the Pen (down by the bullpens). If you can get them hot, Ethan Stowell's burgers are very good. The guacamole & chips at the Mexican place in the pen are also tasty. Some of the tortas are acceptable. Crepes down there are also good. Last year there was a Mexican food truck on Occidental before games--I suggest the fish tacos. If you eat in the ID, I suggest arriving at the restaurant between 5:30 and 5:45 for a 7:10 game.

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Tsukushinbo
515 S Main St, Seattle, WA 98104

Sea Garden
509 7th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

[christy319]

You can walk to anything in the International District in less than 20 minutes, so search threads that cover that topic.